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Questions, Answers, Presents

Whew. Home and… well, I was going to say I was sorted, but if you could see my house you’d wonder what lunatic said that nine people could unpack in my living room and just walk away. There’s something about travelling by car, isn’t there? I have all the space in the world, it feels like, after confining myself to one bag for air travel, and what with Squam being as rustic as it is, I spared myself no comfort. Flashlight? Hell, I’ll bring two, maybe someone else will need one. I brought a little coffeemaker and a hand crank grinder (taking no chances after my recent episode) and candles and real wine glasses and mugs (you never know) and tea and bug spray and an extra blanket and … I put it all in the car. I didn’t even pack it all – I just heaved it into laundry baskets and took off. It was great, but on the unpacking side there’s more than a little chaos. Still, a good time had by all, I think, despite how far behind it’s landed me on all things digital. It’s going to be a day or three before I’m all caught up – in a lot of ways, so today I’m copping out on you a little and doing a super fast Q&A and some Karmic Balancing Gifts.

Skeindalous asks: I love the mitts or mittens or socks at the bottom of the post. Can you tell us more?

Katie: I’m on pins and needles to see if you knit the second sock this way or with the colors reversed.

Have you met me? They’ll be the same. I just don’t have the nature for mismatched socks. (As an interesting aside, I would be willing to bet a not inconsiderable amount of yarn that not one of my daughters has worn matching socks in at least a year. I gave them all socks at Easter and they all immediately traded one of each pair. I think they do it to make me crazy. It works.)

Kate: Can I say these pictures look fantastic? Taken with the new camera?

Yup. I think I’m getting the hang. This past weekend taught me that I don’t really understand how metering works on this camera yet, so I’ll go back to school on that this week. I’m still not taking the pictures I’d like to be taking, at least not reliably, but I feel like it’s coming. There’s some seriously, catastrophically bad pictures I’m not showing you though.

Carol: I’m waiting to hear about the annual swim tradition. It’s been a slow and late spring, and I bet the water is colder than a witch’s tit in a brass bra.

Yeah. I’d say that’s about accurate. I swam three times this year, and I wasn’t the only one. I actually don’t even think I was first, considering the screams, expletives and general shrieks that accompanied the splashes coming from the cabin the Ravelry crew inhabited. It was such a pleasure to swim. The air was warm and the sun glorious, and while the water was most definitely cold, it wasn’t quite the heartstopping, shattering cold of last year. When I got out my lips weren’t blue and I had full control of all my fingers. Good swimming, by Ontario lake standards.

Nobody: Hey, I heard that you finally finished that Adrianna thing. That true?

YES, by wool, it is true. Finished and worn, although she needs an official photoshoot, rather than this quick pick snapped by Nancy Bush as we walked through the woods on our way back to class. (I thought the “no bikes” sign was ironic. Maybe you have to be me too really laugh.) I got several compliments, and I think I love it. (Also, you may note my “squam hair” in that picture. It’s what you get if you manage to convince yourself that swimming is pretty much the same as showering and shampooing.)

Karmic Balancing gifts? You bet. Today’s gifts (and there will be tomorrows gifts too, so you can look forward to that) are all from one person. The very generous Teddy is passing on some beautiful things out of her stash in the fond hopes of earning enough Karma for the sun to shine on her daughter’s wedding day. I can’t believe this wouldn’t be enough.

2 skeins KnitPicks hand painted fingering, 50% merino 25%alpaca 25% nylon, and 1 skein Silver Creek 100% superfine merino, 3.5 oz/306 yards for Margaret W. (Is it just me, or is it starting to look like Teddy has really great instincts for what to put together?)

Finally, and last is certainly not least – two, count ’em, two skiens of Opal sock yarn for Kathy H.

That’s it – if you can call twelve great presents “it” without it sounding less fabulous than it really, really is. Thanks so much Teddy, and to everyone who’s donated. Once again, in case you missed the details, to be included in these draws (and they’ll go all the way to the rally) all you have to do is to donate to someone on our little family team –

and then send along an email to me at stephanie@yarnharlot.ca, with “enter me” in the subject line – and your name and address in the body. You don’t have to tell me how much you gave, or provide proof. I know you’re a good person and you wouldn’t lie. (Also, if you’ve found another $5 lying around and would like to give again, don’t forget to send another entry. It counts.)

I want to thank you all a very great deal for making this possible. Fundraising is down this year, not just for our family, but for the Rally in general. Unfortunately, the operating costs for PWA remain the same and I’m so grateful that you’ve chosen to support this fine cause. I can always count on the knitters, and by the way, don’t forget to spread the word. Yarn presents until the Rally! Tell a friend! Yarn party at Stephie’s house!

35 thoughts on “Questions, Answers, Presents”

Soooooooo EXCITED!!! I have a grand-niece (yikes, that makes me sound old) – my sister’s granddaughter, and this sweater kit will be PERFECT for her. Now, I’ve just got to figure out something for her twin brother!!

Wow, Teddy has hopefully seriously boosted the chance of sun for her daughter’s wedding. What lovely gifts.
Squam looks like such fun, and the Adrianna looks cool. Good luck with getting the to-do list under control.

Folks, click on those names. Steph is apparently being understated and unpushy and self-effacing and Canadian and isn’t telling us that they’re hurting, they need contributions. And we the readership have a reputation to maintain — every year we freak the fundraisers with how much this team raises. So maybe we got a little relaxed. Time to look under the couch cushions, skip two iced chais and send our money. How shall we do this — farthest from goal? Posted biggest goal? Newest member? Prettiest eyes? Time to come to the aid of the party, troops!

Gotta take it in turns! First get those farthest from the goal up to speed, and then turn to the one shooting for the stars and boost her all the way into the next galaxy on the power of knitterly generosity… yes?

We could all give up ONE coffee (Tims/Starbucks/Timothys/SecondCup) this week, and donate that. It will ADD up!! And I’d kill for the Squam hair too. Mine is dead straight, unless it’s wake-up-after-a-restless-night-scare-the-neighbours-early-in-the-morning hair.

Yea for “Squam hair”! Your hair looks great! Embrace those curls and enjoy them! I have curly hair, and after many years of struggles have learned to love it and appreciate it. It is uniquely you! Now my next step is to embrace my new “silver” curls after years of coloring. It’s looking quite elegant, so far.
My 24 year old son always wears unmatched socks. Perhaps this is a youth fashion trend?

Some curly hair tips! Use sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner – small amount of shampoo and lots of conditioner; air-dry if possible, or very gentle blow-drying; finger-comb (no hairbrushes). Find this great book “Curly Girl: The Handbook” by Massey and Chiel. As they say “handle your hair as gently as you do your best cashmere sweater.” Celebrate curly hair – it’s gorgeous!

Dying. Laughing.
Just wrote a lovely little comment for you (my first as it happens – much deliberation and bravery involved) only to have it rejected because I ‘failed the human verification’ test.
Apparently the rumours are true. I am not human.
PS – Gist of previous (lost in cyberspace) post was how taken I am by those Starry Starry Night socks. DIVINE!!

As I had mentioned, I don’t knit socks for my daughter. She would walk outside in them AND she never wears matched socks. So when I buy her socks (gasp), I buy her packages of multi-colored, semi-matching. Her joy is mixing and matching and not wearing any one pattern in the same week. It makes my husband crazy. He does the laundry (and the grocery shopping and the vacuuming . . . yes, I am spoiled) and cannot stand the fact that she never has a matched pair of socks in the laundry. I am so glad that she shares the CRAZY.

I will be making a donation as we knitters have a standard to uphold.

I love the Squam hair. My hair isn’t curly it is just bent.

I am looking forward to our upcoming vacation. Nine hours of driving each way AND two weeks of relaxing time. I just have to figure out which projects to take.

Ha! I failed the human being test. (Said like the Coneheads – “We are from France”.)

Just excited that you are an Outlander fan – did you get the new one, out yesterday? Ties up many of the loose ends from Echo.

On another note – I only knit one sock in any colour or pattern – no interest in an identical experience with the second one, but I do not knit so quickly as you. (Who does?!) I do stay in the general colour family, though. They are, after all, at the bottom of my legs. Your daughters are only displaying their fine upbringing to be individuals. Enjoy!

I totally noticed the finished sweater in the dining hall. And thought it looked lovely, but decided it would be a little weird to be all “yay, you finished it” like I knew you (I have to imagine that’s one of the weirdest things about being a famous blogger – all these complete strangers who know all kind of things about you when you don’t know the from Adam.)

And “lake showers” are a long standing Squam / RDC tradition, so you’re in good company there.

Yay for the finished Adriana!
The Squam hair, which is lovely, actually, reminds me of my (now perfectly clean, respectable, and grown-up) stepbrother, who at age eight was nicknamed “Sticky” for his habit of not showering or bathing all summer, or at least for as long as he could get away with it. When questioned, his response was: “But–I’ve been swimming every day!”

I just wanted to mention that I donated to a couple of the team riders because I read your blog (and the really good cause!) The gifts are wonderful but I don’t want to be in the drawing; just wanted to say thank you for your efforts to get the word out there about the fund raising. I live in the US and would never have known about this organization otherwise.
PS It makes me sad when I fail the human verification test!